There is a need in the art for novel devices and novel methods that may allow improved detection of the binding of target entities, notably target molecules, onto bait entities, notably bait molecules, of interest, particularly bait proteins of interest, such as bait antibodies and various other bait receptor proteins or bait peptides, notably those of biologically relevance, including those of diagnostic and pharmacological relevance.
Notably, there is a need in the art to easy, low cost and high throughput methods for screening target candidate drug molecules that bind to, or are active against, therapeutically relevant bait molecules, notably bait proteins.
Current assays for the presence of an analyte in a solution, such as those commonly used for diagnostics, for instance, involve the use of a bait receptor molecule, notably an antibody, which has been raised against the target molecule, notably an antigen. Multianalyte assays known in the art involve the use of multiple bait receptor molecules, notably antibodies, and are directed towards assaying for multiple target analytes.
Automation and/or miniaturisation of binding assays are required if large numbers of target molecules are to be assayed simultaneously. Materials, surface coatings, and detection methods used for biomolecule assays are thus highly needed in the art.
There is also a need in the art for novel methods that may allow delivering therapeutically useful ingredients, notably drugs and pharmaceutically active molecules of interest, notably those of pharmacological and therapeutical relevance, to target entities, notably target cells and receptor molecules of interest. Current assays for delivering a drug of interest to target receptors of interest or target cells of interest involve the use of vectors, principally viral vectors and non-viral vectors, notably synthetic liposomes and polymers.
Delivering the therapeutical molecules of interest to target cells and receptors is problematic and requires controlled immobilization of specific bait entities to the targeting vectors, so that the immobilized bait entities are enabled to bind to target entities of interest.
Also, a recurrent technical problem that is encountered while manufacturing miniaturised biomolecule assay devices, notably protein assay devices, relates to a suitable binding of the “bait-receptor” molecule, notably a “bait-receptor” protein, so as to ensure a maximum availability of said “bait-receptor” molecule to the corresponding target molecules(s) of interest.
Available methods for linking the bait receptor molecule to the assay substrate make use of either 1) direct physical adsorption of the bait molecule or of molecules acting as receptors for the bait molecule to said substrate surface (e.g. Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assays, ELISA), or alternatively 2) chemical modification of the surface material of the substrate with linker molecules to which the bait molecule is bound, either covalently or non-covalently.
However, the above linking methods possess various technical drawbacks. Adsorbing the bait proteins directly onto the surface area of the substrate often causes an alteration of the structural conformation of said bait protein, which bait protein no more remains optimally available to its corresponding target molecules. In addition, direct adsorption of the bait protein or of molecules acting as receptors for the bait protein result in a random, uncontrolled, orientation of the bait protein, as well as in an uncontrolled surface density of the bait protein.
In addition, the use of covalent linkers between the surface area of the substrate and the bait receptor protein or molecules acting as receptors for the bait protein is complex and costly and results in an uncontrolled density of properly-oriented bait molecules for subsequent reactions. These drawbacks lead to a low ratio of correct binding of the bait proteins onto the selected substrate, in view of the initial amount of the bait protein material which is used.
There is thus a need in the art for improved biomolecule assay methods, notably protein assay methods, as well as corresponding devices.
Further, there is a need in the art for novel devices that are useful for the delivery of pharmaceutical molecules of interest to a target receptor, a target cell, a target tissue or a target organ in patients in need thereof.